1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for controlling interrupts generated by different entities associated with a microprocessor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventionally, a microprocessor includes a certain number of inputs for receiving interrupt signals from different entities. These signals have the function of notifying the microprocessor of the occurrence of particular events within the entities.
A conventional interrupt control processes these particular events in real time. In other words, when an event occurs in an entity, the program executed by the microprocessor is stopped at once to process this event by executing a routine associated therewith. Such real time processing is necessary to avoid a situation where an event having occurred in an entity is not taken into account by the microprocessor upon the occurrence of another event in the same entity.
A disadvantage of conventional systems is that real time interrupt control requires the provision of a very fast microprocessor, even if such speed is not needed for the processing of the programs associated with the operation of the system.
Another disadvantage is that it is possible, in a succession of interrupts, that an interrupt of a given type appears even though the processing of a preceding interrupt of the same type (using the same routine) is not finished, because it was interrupted upon occurrence of other events. The processing of this preceding interrupt will not be able to be finished, which can cause an operation error.